"We have made progress in reconstructing the movements of the two women," police officials said Friday evening regarding the investigation into the disappearance of Mali and Liel Yahalomi in Vienna. The officials said investigators had filled in additional parts of the timeline and narrowed gaps concerning what the two did and where they were during the relevant period. "We hope there will be a development soon," they added.
Meanwhile, Austrian news site Heute reported that Mali and Liel left Austria on their own. The report cited Austrian investigators as saying there was no indication that the two were victims of a violent crime. A separate report by the Austrian site Krone said there were unconfirmed reports that the two had reached South America.
The case of the two Israeli citizens, mother and daughter Mali, 50, and Liel, 23, who have been missing since Aug. 7, 2026, saw a dramatic development Friday when investigators announced that the pair had left Austria on their own.
The announcement followed an extensive investigation by Austrian and international security authorities. The Vienna police and Austrian federal police were involved, along with domestic security personnel and additional Israeli and international officials.
Authorities did not say where the mother and daughter are now or under what circumstances they left Austria. Investigators have so far declined to provide further details, citing considerations related to investigative tactics.
As a result, many questions remain unanswered. Until recently, for example, Mali's brother Ronen had been searching Vienna himself for his missing relatives, unwilling to remain in Israel without taking action. The Mossad was also reportedly conducting an investigation in Austria. Unconfirmed reports have linked the case to a financial scandal in Israel.
Amid the various rumors surrounding the case, the women's family earlier Friday called on security authorities to investigate every possible scenario.
"For a week now, we have woken up every morning with the same prayer: to find you safe and well and bring you home. Do not stop searching," the family said.
Relatives said they "demand that all security and investigative authorities continue examining every scenario, including the possibility of a terrorist attack, until it can be ruled out based on evidence."
"Losing contact with them is completely out of character," the family said. "Mali is a devoted mother and grandmother, a beloved sister and a woman whose life revolves around her family. Liel is a smart, sensitive young woman full of joy. We are aware of the various reports and hope every new detail will help locate them as soon as possible. But the question remains open: What happened to them, and why has there been no contact with them for a week?"
The last time Mali and Liel's cellphones were located was Saturday morning near a train station in Vienna. The station is about 2 kilometers, or 1.2 miles, from the apartment where the two were staying. Vienna police said there was no suspicion of a criminal incident.
Their family, however, is angry over claims that the two left of their own accord and is demanding that the possibility of a nationalist or terrorist motive not be ruled out, particularly amid a wave of antisemitism in Europe.
Mali and Liel Yahalomi
On Wednesday, a gag order was imposed on the investigation into the disappearance. The order said the investigation is being handled by Lahav 433's National Unit for Combating Economic Crime, known by its Hebrew acronym YALAC.
A police source told ynet, however, that the unit's involvement does not indicate any particular investigative direction and stressed that all possibilities are being examined. The source said YALAC routinely maintains extensive working relationships with law enforcement and police agencies around the world and has the capabilities and experience required to conduct a cross-border investigation of this kind.
The police request for a gag order fueled a wave of rumors on social media linking the disappearance to Mali's work at Bank of Jerusalem's retail banking headquarters. The rumors sent the bank's shares down more than 12% before the losses later moderated.
Bank of Jerusalem quickly said that "no findings have been identified indicating any unusual activity involving the bank's funds, assets or customer funds" and that "there is no concern of any embezzlement of customers' money."
The missing women's relatives expressed anger over the wave of rumors and media reports claiming the two had taken large sums of money with them.